Former soldier horrified by war memorial fire attack steps up for gruelling Alness to Inverness return run this weekend for Poppyscotland
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A FORMER soldier living in Alness has been spurred by a shocking war memorial fire attack to show his respects with a gruelling fundraising trek.
The attack on the Edinburgh War Memorial just after Remembrance Day enraged many – and none more so than Chase Cooke.
On Saturday, he will set off on a sponsored run from his home town of Alness to Inverness and back again – some 42 miles in total – in aid of Poppyscotland.
The fighting fit ex-soldier will attempt the run wearing boots, combat trousers and Poppyscotland T-shirt plus his beret of the Royal Logistics Corps in which he was a petroleum operator, making sure the Armed Forces had the vital fuel needed for its operations.
He will start from Alness War Memorial at 5am and head off for the Inverness War Memorial in Cavell Gardens on the city’s riverside. Chase (37) said: “At the Inverness War Memorial I will stand and salute the fallen heroes then head off again back to Alness.
“When I heard about the brutal vandalism of the war memorial in Edinburgh I just wondered what was the mindset of someone who would do that, and it was a red flag in my head.
“Graffiti can be cleaned off and dealt with, but for someone to use fire to destroy wreaths and damage the memorial shows that they have no respect for either the living or the dead from previous conflicts.”
Chase, who now works for NHS Professionals, believes he is physically fit enough for the challenge since he trains by running up and down Fyrish Hill near his home twice a week and on occasion three times.
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